Thread: How do you find blade length affects a blades handling?

Originally Posted by Rajagra

When I bought my little Weltmeister I thought I'd be using it all the time to touch up tricky areas, but it just doesn't feel right. Probably more to do with the width than the length, but still...

I actually need one of those little blades. wow.

my MAB sees a fair bit of action and that is short, I don't know how short off hand, though.

The length of the blade doesn't seem to have as much effect as the distance between where you hold it (not always end of shank) to the outer section of the blade (since that's where most shaving is done).

The Feather AC for example has a short blade but a very long shank, and it shaves just fine. The De Pews has basically the same length blade but a stubby little shank and is incredibly annoying to use.

The basic problem is that your fingers have to fit between the shank and your face, while still allowing the edge to lay flat on your skin, and a short shank or short edge makes this much more difficult without using a steeper angle than is optimal. With a longer shank or longer blade, then the curvature of your face gives you the room you need.

Wide edges also give your fingers extra room btw. That "2 spine widths" distance on the spine can easily be a whole finger's thickness all by itself even without factoring in the curvature of your face.

mparker, I have thought about that as well. I have some razors here that are standard 6/8's, but have a very long shank before the pivot pin. I have not had a chance to really shave with one yet, I have to finish grinding the tip and send off for honing. but in my hand they feel fabulous. Maybe if I get in the shop I can get them in the mail tomorrow. I'd like to find out if it make a difference for me.

just comparing them real quick I'd say that the shank from where it starts to pivot pin is 1/8" longer on these, and has a longer than usual tang afterwards.

Red

I've had a couple of shorter bladed razors and found them to be slightly easier to maneuver - you can reach more places without the razor "bridging" across and contacting an area you don't want it to. That said, I've never reached for a blade because it was shorter. They're cool though.

Jordan

My Savage is 3.25; I have a Cast Steel "Sheaf Works" (a Greaves) that is 3.25; there's also another Greaves in my collection that's 3.125.

The Cast Steel feels really long, but I think that's partly because she's shoulderless. The other Greaves is the same length pin to pin and a little longer toe to tail, but since she has a shoulder the extra length isn't in the cutting edge.

As for the Savage - I never would have noticed the longer blade if I hadn't picked her up to measure on a whim. She's such a beast in general...

Another interesting side note: a W&B Barber's Use that's reground and doesn't have a notch... I thought she was also shortened but she's the same length as my other one with the same stamp, but not reground and with a notch. Makes me happy that she seems un-shortened.

Short blade........

Long blade........

I haven't had a chance to give that little W&B a full shave yet but I can say that my longer blades like the Henckels and my Wadsworth XLNT are a little more tricky to work around certain spots on my face like under the corner of my jaw on the right side. I would say that the shape of my face my have a small roll as to how different sized blades are to navigate around but I sure as time goes on, I will learn each blades own little tricks.